Fabric



April 14, 193 F. J. ZIMMERER ET AL FABRIC Filed May 17, 1930 fie 6 garter, suspen Patented Apr. 14, 1 931"- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IBEDEBICK J. zmmnn AND HENRY W. BAUER, O1 mnmown, oomc'rrco'r, A!- v SIGKOBS TO THE BUBBEIL IANUF'AGIUBING COMPANY, OF KDDLETOWN, OOH- HEGTIG'UT, A. CORPORATION 01' CONNECTICUT FABRIC Application filed lay 17, 1980. Serial No. 453,200.

This invention relates to fabrics and is concerned more particularly with a fabric of novel construction which may be employed as a strap in a arment supporter, such'as a (fer, or the like. The novel fabric is particularly useful in such' supporters to provide a means for adjustin the length thereof, and the application 0 the new fabric to-such a supporter will be described in detail, though it is to be understood that this fabric may be used for other oses than in such supporters. omens garters as ordinarily constructed include a strap of elastic webbing secured at one end to' a girdle or the like and bent to form a loop in which a stocking-engaging member is loosely suspended. Attached to the free end of the strap at one side of the loop is an adjusting device which consists of a plate and a clamping jaw. The strap at one side of the loop is led through the ad usting device and the loop may be adjusted to any desired length and the device set to hold the parts of thestrap on opposite sides of the loop in ,the desired relatlon.

The adjusting device is made of metal and it represents a considerable item in the cost of the suplporter. Since the strap. passes through t e device, the latter is wider than the stra and it has projecting ends which arelike y to catch on other garments and tear them. Also, the .metal device rusts in the course of time and when laundered is" likely to stain the supporter and other garments with which it is in contact. When a garter of this construction is worn in such position as to support a stockin at the rear, the somewhat b adjusting evice is likely to cause consi erable discomfort to the wearer when seated.

The present invention is accordingl directed to the provision of a novel abric which may be incorporated in the garment supporter and which permits that supporter to afford all the advantages of adjustment of the ordina supporter but without the discomfort to t e wearer which accompanies the use of the ordinary supporter.

, The new supporter includes a strap of elastic webbing bent to form a loop in which the usual garment-engaging member is suspended in the ordinary manner. The strap is provided with a series of openings arranged in a lengthwise row and secured to the strap near its free end. At one sideof the loop is a fastening element preferably a flat plate of metal of H-shape attached to the strap near the free end thereof by having one of its main bars inserted through an opening in the strap, after which a rtion of the strap beyond the o ening nt back over the bar and secure to the remainder of the strap. The other main bar of the plate may be inserted in any selected opening in the strap at the other side of the loop and since the openings are fairly close together, a close adjustment may be obtained throughout a substantial range.

In order to strengthen and reinforce the strap at the openings to increase the life of the sup orter, the strap is preferably woven so 1; at warp threads which lie on either side of the line along which the openings are formed are crosed at the ends of the openings to form crotches in which the fastening element is received. In an elastic fabric which includes warp strands of rubber bound in the usual helical thread wrapping, a pair of these rubber strands are chosen as the warp threads to be. crossed. With this construction, the strain imposed on the fabric at the' ends of the buttonholes is taken up by a pair of wra ped rubber warp threads, which also defiile the side edges of each buttonhole opening. The use of the rubber warp strands for the purpose described is most advantageous, slnce, in ordinary elastic webbing, in which spaced rubber strands are employed, the wrapped rubber strands are considerably larger than the non-elastic warp threads, and when used to define the edges of the buttonholes, they provide. a finish for the edges which avoids the necessity of finishing and strengthening the edges by what is known as buttonhole stitching. In addition, the rubber strands being normally under tension in an elastic fabric, tend to keep the buttonholes tightly closed and distortion and gaping is avolded.

For a better understanding of the inventhe manner of forming the openings in the is loosely suspended a garment-engag ng strap; I I

Fi 4 illustrates the method of securing one orm of fastening or adjusting device to the strap;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through a portion of the garter showing the manner of use of this device- Fig. 6 is a view similar to a different means-of attachment of the fastening" device of the strap;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 the normal position of the fastening device with the modified form of attachment to i the strap;

Fig. 8 is a plan view'of a fastening or adjusting device of still another construction;

Fig.9 is a plan view of a ortion of the strap of a modified construction; and

Fig. 10 is an enlarged plan view showing the manner of weaving the strap illustrated in Fi 9. A

Referring now to the drawings the supporter includes a strap 20 ordinarily. of elastic webbing. This strap is attached at one' end of a girdle or other garment, and the free end is bent to form a loop 21 inwhich member generally designated 22. his member includes a metal loop 23 through which the strap is threaded, a button 24 and a loop 25 cooperating with the button to serve as'a means for attaching the supporter to the stocking. v

The strap is formed with a openings 26 lengthwise thereo openings are preferably in the form of buttonholes spaced apart a relatively short distance so as to provide a fairly exact adjustment. The openings or buttonholes may be produced in the weaving of the strap which includes warp threads'27 inthe form plurality of of rubber strands. These warp threads are spaced apart and have other warp threads 28 of ordinary textile material between them. The openings 26 are formed between a pair of ad acent warp threads of-rubber 27 and in weaving the openings,-"the*warp point, the buttonhole is definedbya'pai'r; of' the crossed threads of elastic-"" materialf Those portions of the 'ela'sticthreads which are crossed also define the "sid'e' 'ed'ges '30" of i the opening and --at"-'the end of the" opening, "the threads are retrossed as at 3 1 anc' l-'--returned to-th'eir -nriiial" positionsf" *At' the Fig. 5 showing showing and these *ing element is p bars32 and 33 to lie in slightly spaced, planes and preferablythe bar 33 is curved ends of the buttonholes, the warp threads 28 which lie between the elastic strands 27 are led away from each other and each warp thread 28, i is" shifted outwardly toward the edge 0f the-fabric by one thread,thus ermitarious adjusting or fastening means may be provided for cooperation with the buttonholes to permit variation in the length of the loop 21, as for example, a button may be sewed to the strap near the free end thereof to be inserted at will in any selected opening at the other side of the loop. A.fastening device of the type illustrated in Fig. 4 is preferable, however,'since it is more durable than a button and is of less thickness so that its presence will not cause discomfortto the wearer. I

This fastening'device comprises a metal plate of H shape'having main bars 32, 33'

connected to a cross-bar or neck 34. The bar 32 is somewhat wider than the bar 33 but of less width than the strap. This fastening device may be attached to the strap in various ways, as, for example, the bar 32 may be inserted through the opening 26 at the free i end of the strap, after which the portion of the strap lying beyond the buttonhole is folded back as indicated at 35, and secured to the remainder of the strap by stitching 36. With this arrangement, the fastening plate is anchored to the end of the strap and accidental displacement is prevented. As illustrated in F1 5, the neck 34 of the fastennt slightly so as to cause the along its longitu'dinal axis so that its free upper surface of the bar 32.

"edge 37 lies substantially inthe planeofthe In assemblingthe supporter, a strap of'the i I construction described is'cut to the desired threads 27 are led toward each other and crossed, a's indicatedat 29, to provide a crotch at one end of the buttonhole, Atthis length and the: fastening device secured in place at the free end of the'strap-byjs'titching or. the like" This end of the strapfis then (pf-"the garment-engaging member and the any selected opening 26 "-threaded throu'gh-the loop eaf mi apm' against the face of the strap adjacent the opening through which the ar is inserted, and the curvature of the bar 33 causes the free edge of the bar to bear firmly against the face of the strap when tension is put on the strap, thus preventing accidental displacement. Should it be desired to vary the adjustment, the bar 33 is merely, displaced from one opening and inserted in another at the desired point. Also, by reason of using an adjusting device of this construction, the garment-engaging member 22 may be taken from the end of the supporter when the latter has to be laundered, and if desired, the adjusting element itself may be similarly'removed from the end of the strap.

With the new construction, it will be apparent that the cost of the supporter is ma-- terially reduced over that of supporters formerly used since the simple metal plate which constitutes the fastening or adjusting device is much less expensive than the adjusting devices now ordinarily employed. The new adjustin device does not project outwardly beyond t e edges of 'the supporter so that it cannot catch on other garments, and furthermore, there are no parts of this adjusting device that come in contact with the body of the wearer. Since the device is substantially fiat, it does not cause discomfort to the wearer when seated.

An adjusting device of a somewhat similar construction is shown in Fig. 6 but in this form the bar 32 is of double width and its free edge 38 is preferably formed with clamping teeth. The bar 32 is bent upon itself and slipped over the end of the strap, after which the two parts are gripped together to force the teeth into the strap and thus connect the device permanently to the strap. In normal use, the adjusting device in this form is placed as indicated in Fig. 7 in which it will be seen that the strap 20 is bent back upon itself over the clamping edge of the device. Thus, a good connection between the strap and device is obtained and the device cannot be accidentally freed from the strap except with extreme diificulty.

In Fig. 8 there is shown a modified form of the device, in which the bar 32 is formed with an opening 39 through which the end of the strap may be threaded, being bent back upon the remainder of the strap and stitched thereto as illustrated in Fig. 4.

In Figs. 9 and 10, there is illustrated a modified form of strap which embodies the principles of the invention. This strap is made of a two-ply material and one ply is provided with a series of openings 26 defined by crossed warp threads of rubber 27 Adjacent each opening are formed pockets 40, one on each side of the opening, these pockets lying between the two plies of the fabric. This type of strap may be employed with a fastening or adjusting device of the sort shown in Figs.

ing a series 0 openings 26 are formed in one ply only instead of being formed through both plies.

While the novel fabric of the invention has been described as primarily useful in a gar ment supporter of the garter type, it will be evident that it can be used to equally good advantage in suspenders and for numerous other purposes.

What we claim is:

i 1. A strap for use in a garment supporter or the like comprising a textile webbing havelongated openings therein, each opening being defined along its sides by a pair of warp threads separated elsewhere than at the openings by intervening warp threads, the threads of said pair crossing a plurality of said intervening threads at each end of each. opening and the threads of said pair also crossing .each other at each end of said 0 ening.

2. 1i strap for use 'in a garment supporter or the like comprising an extensible textile webbing having spaced warp threads of rubber in a thread wrapping and having a series of openings between a pair of adjacent rubber warp threads, said rubber threads being crossed at at least one end of each opening to provide reinforcement and forming the edges of each opening.

3. A strap for use'in'a garment supporter or the like comprising an extensible textile webbing havingspaced elastic warp threads and having a series of openings between a pair of ad acent elastic warp threads said elastic warp threads being separated elsewhere than at the openings by intervening non-elastic warp threads and the threads of said pair crossing a plurality of said intervening non-elastic warp threads at each end of each opening, and the threads of said pair also crossing each other at each end of said opening and defining said opening.

4. A strap for use in a-garment supporter or the like comprising an extensible textile webbing having spaced war-p threads of rubber and having a'series of openings between a pair of adjacent rubber threads, said rubber threads being separated elsewhere than at the opening by intervening non-elastic threads and the rubber threads of said pair crossing a plurality of said intervening threads at each end of each opening and also crossin each other at each end of said opening and defining the edges of said opening.

5. A strap for use in a garment supporter or the like comprising an extensible textile webbing having spaced warp threads of rubber with intervening warp threads 0 ftextil'ejavv material, the webbing having a series ofbuttonholes, betweena pair of rubber threads, each rubber thread being led across certain of said textile warp threads and across each other at each end of each buttonhole to provide reinforcement.

6. An elastic textile fabric of double ply and containin rubber and non-elastic warp threads, said abric having a pocket formed between saidpl'ies, and an opening through one ply into said pocket, sai opening being defined by rubber warp threads, and said warp threads crossing at at least one end of said pocket to reinforce the latter.

7. A textile fabric of double ply having a pocket between said plies and an o ening through .one Elly into said pocket, sai opening being de ed by a pair of warp threads separated elsewhere than at the opening by intervening warp threads and the threads of said pa1r-crossing a plurality of said intervenin threads at each end of said openin an also crossing each other at each en of said opening and defining the edges of said opening.

8. An elastic textile fabric of double ply containing spaced elastic warp threads and non-elastic warp threads between said elastic warp threads, said fabric having a pocket formed between said plies, and an opening through one ply into said pocket, said opening lying between a pair of elastic warp threads and defined thereby, the threads of said pair crossing a plurality of said intervening non-elastic warp threads at eachend of said opening, and the threads of said pair also crossingeach other at each end of said opening.

In testimony whereof-we aflix our signatures.

FREDERICK J. ZILIMERER. HENRY W. BAUER. 

